


Random

by UndertheBloodMoon



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood, Crossover, Gen, Hamilton Lyrics, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Inspired by Hamilton, Near Death, Reunions, Sad and Sweet, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 15:22:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21255518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndertheBloodMoon/pseuds/UndertheBloodMoon
Summary: Random little bits I've written that I'm not looking to expand upon.





	1. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story - Vox Machina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I thought of Vox Machina while listening to this song and cried so now you all have to cry with me.

**[Allura]**  
Let me tell you what I wish I'd known  
When I was young and dreamed of glory  
You have no control

**[Esemble]**  
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story

**[Kaylie]**  
Hardly any adventuring party's stories get told  
Hardly any adventuring parties get to grow old

**[Cassandra]**  
So when you're gone, who remembers your name?  
Who keeps your flame?  
Who tells your story?

**[Esemble]**  
Who tells your story?  
Who tells your story?  
Keyleth..

**[Keyleth]**  
I kept myself right in the narrative

**[Esemble]**  
Keyleth..

**[Keyleth]**  
I stop wasting time on tears  
I live another thousand years  
It's not enough

**[Esemble]**  
Keyleth..

**[Keyleth]**  
I interview every soldier who fought by our side

**[Kashew, Zhara, Kerr, etc.]**  
She tells our story

**[Keyleth]**  
I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings  
You really do write like you're running out of time

I rely on Kaylie

**[Kaylie]**  
Kaylie.

**[Keyleth]**  
While she's alive we tell your story

**[Kaylie w/ Keyleth]**  
We tell your story..

**[Keyleth]**  
She is buried with Juniper near you (Scanlan)  
When I needed her most, she was right on time

And I'm still not through  
I ask myself, what would you do if you had more time

The Gods, in their kindness  
They give me what you always wanted  
They give me more time

I raise funds in Draconia for Tiberius' Library

**[Tiberius]**  
She tells my story

**[Keyleth]**

I speak out for our guardians (Sarenrae, Raven Queen, Pelor, Ioun, etc.)

You could have done so much more if you only had time

And when my time is up, have I done enough?

Will they tell your story?

Oh. Can I show you what I'm proudest of?

**[Keyleth & Esemble]**  
Greyskull Keep..

**[Keyleth]**  
I made our keep into a sanctuary in our memory..

**[Esemble]**  
Greyskull Keep..

**[Keyleth]**  
I told our stories to hundreds of children  
I get to see them growing up

**[Esemble]**  
Greyskull Keep..

**[Keyleth]**  
In their eyes, I see you, Vox Machina.  
I see you every time  
And when my time is up  
Have I done enough?

**[Keyleth & Esemble]**  
Will they tell your story?

**[Keyleth]**  
Oh, I can't wait to see you again..  
It's only a matter of time..

_[Vax'ildan emerges from the shadows, embracing Keyleth]_

**[Esemble]**  
Will they tell your story?

_[Grog emerges and scoops Keyleth into his arms, spinning her around gleefully]_

**[Esemble]**  
Time...

_[A bear nearly knocks Keyleth off her feet and Vex'ahlia rushes from behind him, embracing Keyleth as well]_

**[Esemble]**  
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

_[Percival steps in from behind the girls, Vex'ahlia releasing Keyleth and spinning her around to see Percival. Keyleth throws herself in Percival's arms, who happily returns the embrace]_

**[Esemble]**  
Time...

_[Percival releases Keyleth as a gnome figure runs into view. Keyleth drops and lets Pike rush into her arms, squeezing her hard]_

**[Esemble]**  
Will they tell your story?

_[Another gnome walks up. Pike and Keyleth part and Keyleth pulls Scanlan to her in a hug. Scanlan kisses her cheek]_

**[Esemble]**  
Time..

_[Vex'ahlia pulls Keyleth up and begins pulling her off into the darkness. Grog breaks into a run and quickly disappears. The rest follow behind as Keyleth laughs and hurries to keep pace with Vex]_

**[Esemble]**  
Who lives, who dies  
Who tells your story?

_[Vax'ildan hesitates and waits behind as his friends start to disappear. He turns towards the viewer, giving a small smile and a nod. His wings spread out behind him and he follows his family, blocking the view of their backs as they all fade into the shadows]_


	2. Ours - Vox Machina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"The members were plenty used to the adrenaline, the sounds of dying screams that their enemies give as they fall to one member or another. What they aren't so used to, though, is the yell of one of their own."_

Battles always seemed to escalate quickly for Vox Machina. Meetings turn to conversation. Conversations to arguments, arguments to threats, threats to weapons pulled and blood eventually shed. These things were normal. The members were plenty used to the adrenaline, the sounds of dying screams that their enemies give as they fall to one member or another. What they aren't so used to, though, is the yell of one of their own.

With the fights the members have gotten into, they know better than to react verbally to pain. All of Vox Machina possess a keen set of ears set out for the voices of their family members. The moment one of them cries out is the moment all attention switches to whoever is injured. Unless the wounds are serious, the party suffers in mostly silence as the battle rages on.

An example of this is given when a shout catches the attention of Vox Machina as they battled some nasties hidden in the forests of Tal'Dorei. Scanlan Shorthalt freezes at the sight of Vax'ildan crumpling to the ground in front of him. The bastard had jumped in front of the already weakened gnome and taken a claw across his middle. Once his body stumbled, the creature had snapped its jaws on the half-elf's arm and tossed him across the battlefield. When he didn't immediately scramble to his feet, Scanlan felt his blood run cold. Vax was a powerful fighter, but he couldn't take hits quite so well.

Pulling out his hand cone, he shouted out the words of a spell, making Vax's attacker fall victim to a Hold Person spell. He rushed over to Vax but was quickly stopped by yet another beastie crashing into him and sending him flying.

"Vax's down!" Scanlan grasps his earring to alert his team without telling the entire group of enemies that one member of Vox Machina was now easy prey. "Pike!" 

"Vax?!" Vex'ahlia had just released another arrow the moment she hears this, whipping around as the monster she was engaged with falls and spasms with the electric energy of her bow. "Where?!"

"I got him!" A familiar shot ran through the air as a creature fell to the ground, bleeding from the head. It fell just a few feet away from where Vax laid, bleeding. Percival lowered his gun for a moment to reload, scanning the area around the rogue with his lense to continue guarding him from afar.

Grog brought his ax down on the creature he was in melee with, leaving it croaking and bleeding out as he rushed over, taking a defensive stance next to Vax. Keyleth wrapped her Grasping Vines around one that was rushing towards her lover, flinging it out of sight as her body shook with rage and fear. Pike let out a Guiding Bolt and struck down another baddie before rushing off to help her friend.

The demeanor of the fight changed drastically. It was usually teamwork and plans and Scanlan's voice shouting to one of them with a song of inspiration which made them all laugh despite their situation. Now it was wild. Grog was no longer the only one with pure, blinding rage in his eyes. Now Vex was soaring above on her broomstick, releasing arrow after arrow and striking down foes left and right with her jaw clenched tight. Now Scanlan was spewing harsh spells instead of songs, sending a purple hand slamming down on a creature and crushing it to the ground. Now Pike's warm and healing hands shot out towards a pair of enemies and caused them to shriek as they crumpled and died in their place with a nasty Inflict Wounds. Red hazed the group as they rid the area of any danger.

Once it was finally done, Percy was the first to snap out of the bloodlust. He elbowed Keyleth, snapping her out of it. Keyleth inhaled sharply and spun, crying out "VAX!" and threw herself on the rogue who laid still inside his shield of friends.

That cry alone pulled the rest from their haze.

"Pike!" Vex'ahlia fell to her knees and pulled her brother's head into her lap. Her hands shook as she stroked the rogue's cheek, her breath hitching as she felt a puff of breath leave her brother's mouth before he weakly brought in another.

"Vax," Vex hiccuped, pulling him closer as her body began to shake. "Vax, it's going to be alright. We're here, brother. I'm here."

"I'm sorry.." Scanlan croaked, taking a step back. His eyes, though filled with tears, looked tired. The look of a man who's seen his loved ones die far too often. "He.. Was protecting me.."

"Vax.." Pike lowers herself to the ground next to the rogue, taking his hand in her smaller ones. 

"Pike, please, do something.." Keyleth whimpered, taking his other hand. "Please, please.."

"There's... Not much I can do.." Pike's own eyes were shiny. "I spent all my higher levels on the fight before Vax went down."

"Something Pike! Please!"

"Okay okay okay.." The gnome cleric's breath shuddered as she slipped one hand around her holy symbol, the other pressing Vax's knuckles to her lips. Percy and Grog knelt down nearby, Grog holding a trembling Scanlan to his side. Vex's breathing became weak and quivering, almost as if she refused to breathe until her brother drew in a breath as well. Everyone stared in heavy silence as warm, golden energy poured into the rogue's arm and gathered in his abdomen. Once it dissipated, Vax gave another shaky breath and released it. His next breaths came stronger as his body melted into a more restful state of unconsciousness.

"Oh.. Oh, thank you, Pike.." Vex curled in on herself in relief, her nose touching her brother's clammy forehead. Her own breathing relaxed along with her brother's, noticed by Percy as the man reached and pressed his lips into her hair.

"Thank you.." Keyleth reached and took the hand Pike had used to grip her holy symbol. "You're amazing. As always."

"Anything for Vax.." Pike shook her head a bit, sniffling as tears ran down her cheeks. "For any of you."

"We could use a rest, " Percy stood, though his face was calm, his voice portrayed the fear he was still trying to shake off. "Scanlan, if you please?"

"Huh?" Scanlan, still out of it, glances up at the eyes on him before pulling himself from his daze. "Oh, right. Yeah."

Grog carried Vax into the mansion, settling him down in the rogue's room. They managed to pull off the bloody armor and leave him in what seemed to be a comfortable state. Vex made no move to leave and Keyleth even seemed like she was going to settle down next to him. 

"Slumber Party?" Pike smiled meekly, drawing soft laughter from her teammates. 

"Sounds lovely.." Vex nodded to Keyleth before settling in next to her brother. Keyleth snuggled up on the opposite side.

Grog sat by the doorway of the room, Pike curled up at his side. Scanlan sprawled out on the floor at the foot of the bed. Percy had seemed to briefly disappear before he entered the room again, arms full of pillows and quilts swiped from the other rooms of the mansion. When attention turned to him, he smirked.

"What kind of slumber party are we having if we all sleep on the cold floor?" Percy went over to Grog and Pike, giving a pillow for Pike and a large sheet for them to share. 

Scanlan pretended to already be asleep as Percy lifted his head, slipping a pillow underneath it before covering him with a blanket as well. 

The last of the larger quilts were spread out over Team Half-Elf as they shared the bed, Vex and Keyleth murmuring soft thanks. Percy then settled on the floor on the side of the bed Vex was occupying, slipping a small cushion under his own head and pulling the remaining sheet over himself.

There Vox Machina rested. The furious warriors and saviors of Tal'Dorei seen in a rare moment of weakness as they all huddled together, seeking the warmth and comfort they all found in the presence of each other. 

By the time Vax opened his eyes, Grog had moved closer. The Goliath laid, sprawled out on the floor by Keyleth's side of the bed, with the pillow under his head and Pike on his chest, the blanket they shared nearly swallowing Pike entirely but only covering most of Grog's abdomen. Keyleth was tucked into his side, underneath his arm and Vex was resting with her head on his collarbone. Percy was laying with one arm under the bed, gripping one of his hidden guns, even if there was no reason to fear an ambush in this mansion. Scanlan was still curled on the ground, just in front of the foot of the bed, as close as he'll allow himself to get with the aching guilt heavy in his chest.

Vex and Keyleth, being the only ones physically touching him and both being on alert even in sleep, both rose from their slumbers as Vax shifted where he laid. Both their heads rose to see their rogue's eyes open, gazing at them with the normal hazy confusion of waking up where you don't remember falling asleep. 

"Vax!" His sister was the first to sit up, all tiredness immediately gone from her eyes. "You're awake!"

"Uh.. Yeah..?" the rogue blinked, lifting his arm that had fallen asleep under Vex's weight to rub at his face. "What.. What happened?"

Keyleth had shaken Pike awake, who woke Grog up and climbed onto the bed as well. Grog sat up with a loud yawn before seeing his recently fallen companion and shouted out, "VAX'S UP!"

This prompted Percival to wake suddenly, holding up Retort before the scene before him finally processed in his mind. He let the gun hand fall with a soft huff, rubbing his face with the other hand and showing a tired smile. "Grog, you scared me there.. I nearly blew that beard off your face."

Scanlan rose up as well but stayed quiet as the other members of Vox Machina let themselves breathe easier now that Vax was alright. Though, that silence didn't sit well with one of the members.

"Where's Scanlan..?" Vax rasped with a frown, his hands clasped by Pike who was pouring some stronger healing into him now that she'd rested. Vex and Keyleth wouldn't let him sit up, so he couldn't see their eldest member. Worry was clear in his tone. "Is he alright?" 

"Of course!" Vex looked over to see their bard try to duck out of view, but had moved too slowly for the Ranger's high perception. "Scanlan, what are you doing over there?"

"I.." the bard finally stood up, deciding that hiding wouldn't do much good anymore. "Uh, I'm here, I just.."

"Scan, c' mere.." Vax shifted and huffed as his sister and girlfriend shoved him back into a laying position. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course, " Scanlan tensed a bit as a hand grasped his shoulder. He turned to look at Percy, who'd scooted his way over. The human leaned down and whispered in his ear, 

"Go to him, you idiot. He won't settle down until he's at least seen you, and the girls won't let him sit up." 

Scanlan let out a soft breath, accepting defeat. He'd hoped to hide away with his guilt, but no. Of course not. Not in this family. 

Percy gave a small grin at the sight of his victory and promptly lifted Scanlan up, placing him on the bed in a spot where the girls had an easy time pulling him up into Vax's view.

"You didn't need to save me, you know, " Scanlan tried to give his signature grins, but the guilt and worry in his eyes revealed how forced it was. He was too tired to properly lie. "I could've taken it. You never need to worry about me."

"I'll always worry about you.." Vax's voice was raspy and soft. He still sounded so weak.

Scanlan wanted to cry. They've all fallen in battle so many times already, but each time is still so terrifying. Pike was the greatest healer Scanlan knew. She would never let one of them stay dead. But that didn't mean any of them were eager to let the others fall. It hurt to see the others hurt. 

"You shouldn't, " Scanlan shook his head slowly. "You're an idiot."

"I know, " Vax gave a weak grin and swung an arm around the gnome, pulling him to his chest. "I love you." 

"Love you too, " Scanlan murmured as the girls settled down next to them again. "We're never letting you die, Vax. You fight like you have a death wish, but it's never gonna happen. You're ours."

Vax chuckled as the rest of the party muttered their agreements, Vex even flicking him half-heartedly in the temple. 

"Yeah.." He breathed, relaxing into the warmth of his family. "I'm all yours."


	4. Lasdi Trvulsure - The Mighty Nein

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Universe: Yasha and Molly have known each other for a lot longer than the circus.
> 
> "_"... You're mine. I claim you," Yasha smiled to herself and hugged the being close, enjoying that they clung back eagerly. _
> 
> _Turning and making her way back to camp, Yasha happily thought about how some pretty things could possibly come from the Moorlands._"

"But it's so pretty!" 

A little girl clutched the jeweled earrings in her hands, whining and struggling as her mother tried to take it away. 

Their little hut was dimly lit with the fire currently keeping them from freezing. It was a snowy day in the Dolorov Tribe and the people were struggling to keep warm in the makeshift homes they had. Using wood, tree sap, and furs from various creatures, the people of the tribe seemed to be doing fine. It wasn't anything more than the people were used to. 

Inside one of these little huts were a mother and child. The child had raven dark hair that fell over her face like curtains as she hung her head. Her aqua-colored eyes were glaring up at her mother with a heavy frown, her skin fairly pale that had thankfully nothing to do with the chill. She was a pretty little girl with pearl white wings folded against her back. She was special among the people of the tribe. Her mother cherished her dearly for it. 

Though the two normally are quite close, something today seemed to be causing the commotion. The little girl was holding two small pieces of jewelry in her hands and was refusing to give them up. Eventually, her mother pried her hands open and snatched them free, ignoring the cry of protest that followed.

"I want them! They're mine!" The girl cried in despair as her mother placed the earrings back on her own ears. 

"No, my dear Yasha, I'm afraid they are mine," the older woman smiled wolfishly as she let the jewels dangle from her ears. "I got them from a pretty little lady who came by and I claimed them."

"Well, I claim them now!" Yasha snapped, reaching her hand up, though the attempt was fruitless seeing that her mother had already risen to her full height, plenty taller than the eight-year-old. 

"You'll have to fight me to do that," her mother continued to grin, more amused than upset by her daughter's behavior. "That's how it works in this tribe. You want something, you either make it yourself or you claim it and beat any challenger looking to take it from you. That's why you're mine, my dear. I made you and I'll fight anyone who tries to take you from me. I'll keep you guarded and loved, as a little treasure should."

The words warmed Yasha yet she wasn't done being upset quite yet. There weren't many pretty things in Xhorhas. Everything was gloomy and dead and dark. Her mother was pretty, sure. The sky was sometimes pretty, but only if she stayed up long enough at night to see it in its full glory. Yasha wanted to have more pretty things, but that wasn't necessary to the survival of one's self and tribe members, so little trinkets and such were considered useless. 

"But I want something that's _mine_," she whined again, staring longingly at her mother's earrings. "I want something mine and _pretty_, like you do."

"Well get off your bum and go get something," her mother waved her away and turned her attention back toward the skins she had hung to dry. "You're a strong girl, I'm sure you could take any children who try and challenge you for it." 

"Fine, I will," Yasha declared as she stormed past the leaves they used as a door and headed deeper into the Moorlands. 

•••

Like mentioned before, nothing pretty ever came from the Moorlands. Maybe in some ways it gave pretty things, like when someone used items found within it to make something nice, but that was the person's doing more than the Moor. She didn't think anything pretty could ever come from this place. 

Picking up a rock the size of her fist, she huffed and chucked it at a tree, frustrated. She was about to retrieve it and do it again when the bush near the tree whimpered as she approached.

_Wait... Bushes don't make noises like that..._

Yasha tensed and scooped up her rock again, clutching it hard. Something was here with her. Something was watching her. 

_I should kill it,_ she decided, creeping toward the bush and listening as it whimpered again and gave a soft twitch as whatever was in it moved. _At least I can say I've done something rather than wander around for an hour._

Ripping the branches aside, she held her rock up and prepared to slam down on the creature, which gave a sharp cry in response to being revealed, when she actually noticed what it was. Or rather... Who it was?

Yasha found herself looking at a tiny... Humanoid? It was small, probably up to her chest in height if it was standing. They were wearing ratty clothes that were torn and stained with mud and possibly their own blood. They were small and shivering, curled up on the ground with their arms covering their head to avoid the blow they were clearly anticipating. 

That's not what caught her attention the most though. No, what caught her attention was the lavender skin of the humanoid and the plum purple hair that looked tangled and knotted. They had a tail that curled and coiled around their leg as well. They were... So odd. So different from what Yasha was used to seeing when it came to other humanoids. 

"What... What are you?" She spoke in her normal slightly hushed tone, staring down at the tiny figure with learned caution yet childish curiosity. 

The humanoid trembled for a few moments longer before they peeled their arms back and stared up at her. The eyes were a startling, solid red color that stared at her with tears and mud-caked against their cheek. They looked so pitiful Yasha was sure members of her tribe would have loved to end their miserable little life. Yet Yasha couldn't bring herself to do that.

"You're... You're so pretty..." She breathed, dropping her rock off to the side and kneeling down in front of the odd little being. "Hello. What are you?" 

They only stared at her for a few beats, but that gave her enough time to look over them better. They had _horns_, as if their look couldn't get more strange. The horns were small, reminding her of the youth of some of the more natural horned creatures that roamed the area. Maybe they were a child of... Whatever their kind was. 

"Can you speak?" She leaned forward a bit, reaching out and touching their dirty cheek. 

The being blinked at her before reaching up and touching her hand in return. Their hands were small yet taloned, their skin warmer than Yasha was accustomed to. It made Yasha wonder for a moment, but her thoughts were snapped back to reality when a force rushed and pressed up against her.

"Woah-!" Yasha only swayed a little when the being surged up and hugged her, clinging to her and shaking like she was their lifeline. She slowly wrapped her arms around them as well, rocking back and forth a tad awkwardly. "Are you hurt? It's okay..." 

The being pulled back and stared up at her again. A surge of... Something filled her chest, sort of similar to the possession she felt when one of the other children tried to take her things or mess with a small animal she had managed to rescue. She gave them a squeeze before gently nudging them off, much to their dismay.

"Do you want to come with me?" She asked softly as she stood, allowing the being to grab her arm and manage to hoist themselves onto their feet. Their tail lashed behind them and their pitiful eyes gazed up at her pleadingly, their thin legs trembling underneath them. Yasha smiled. "Okay."

Bending down, Yasha lifted the being into her arms with ease, holding them on her hip as she'd seen mothers do countless times. They were light, so light, and _small_ in her hold. They gasped softly, gripping at her shoulders and pressing closer. 

"You're so pretty..." Yasha repeated, touching their dirty hair and feeling their tail wrap around her wrist like a third arm to grip her with. "You have the looks of a predator but you act like prey. You're very strange." 

The being didn't seem to mind her comments. Maybe they don't understand her very much.

"... You're mine. I claim you," Yasha smiled to herself and hugged the being close, enjoying that they clung back eagerly. 

Turning and making her way back to camp, Yasha happily thought about how some pretty things could possibly come from the Moorlands.

•••

Yasha marched back into her camp, proudly carrying her prize. Sadly, she didn't do so as effortlessly as she'd thought. Eyes trailed her and people began to mutter and glare. She shot a few nasty looks to those who were staring for too long seeing that it made her find squirm in her hold. She'd hoped she would be able to get home without being confronted, but sadly her luck seemed to have reduced after spending it all on finding her pretty one. 

"Yasha, what have you gotten?" A boyish voice sung from nearby. She turned to shoot the boy, about a year older than her, a heated glare. "What is that?!" 

"_Who_ is that..." She corrected him with a growl. "They're close enough to a person." 

"It's got a tail! And it's purple!"

"Yeah, so? Go away, Heris." 

Heris didn't go away. He just gave a grin, a lopsided thing that infuriated Yasha while it seemed to charm everyone else. "It's pretty."

"Yeah. That's why I have them." 

"I want it."

Yasha glared, her lips pulling back in a snarl. The being in her arms squirmed, seeming to sense the tension. "You can't. I claimed them already. I found them. They're mine."

"Fight me then, _blessed child_," Heris mocked, calling her what the Elders insisted on referring to her as. "I'll get it either way."

"Fine," Yasha set her prize down, ignoring their lingering grasps and pitiful whine. 

The children fought. Others gathered, both to watch and to poke at the odd little thing that was sitting beside the fight, looking on horrified. By the time the fight was over, Heris was laying on the ground, moaning in pain, while Yasha trudged back to her properly claimed prize. 

"They're mine," Yasha snarled, making the crowding kids fall back quickly to avoid her. She sported a few bruises as well, wiping a bloody nose, but at least she wasn't bleeding out the nose _and_ mouth like Heris was. Spitting out a knocked out baby tooth, she scooped the whimpering being back into her arms and marched back to her hut.

Mother wasn't home. Yasha didn't care. She went over to where there were furs and such laid own for her specifically to sleep on, her bed if you will, and planted her prize onto it. They didn't cling to her like before, but rather they shuffled away with a panicked look on their face.

"Are you scared of me, now?" Yasha tilted her head, feeling a pang of sadness. "Don't be scared, I did it for you. I wouldn't hurt you."

Seemingly calmed by her soft tone, the being let her sit down beside them and wrap her arms around their thin frame. They were still trembling, whether that was from witnessing the fight or from the events in the Moorlands was unclear. Still, they seemed to forget their momentary wariness of her and curled up close, allowing her to almost pull them into her lap. 

"Do you have a name?" She asked softly, running her fingers over the colored skin on their arm and marveling in it. She's rarely seen something so vibrant, it was incredible. 

When they didn't answer, she figured they didn't. She nuzzled the top of their head, regardless of the smell of dirty creature that was probably coming from both of them, and sighed softly. 

"Don't worry about it," she kept on talking anyway, no matter if they could understand or not. "I'll keep you safe. Guarded and loved as a little treasure should." 

Pausing for a beat or two, she pulled back so she could gaze into those pitiful eyes again. They seemed slightly less miserable and more exhausted. Still, they were so pretty and so sweet and all _hers_. That made her so incredibly happy. 

"_Trvulsure..._" she whispered, speaking in the bright and musical language that only came naturally to her, as far as she knew. Those pitiful eyes lit up with a bit of curiosity at the sound of her voice changing to fit the tone of the new language. They let out a small "uh" and she could see a small twitch on the corners of their lips as she pressed her forehead against theirs. "I'll call you that, I think. _lasdi trvulsure._ My treasure."


	5. See You There - Vox Machina & The Mighty Nein

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Universe - the Vecna battle ended a bit poorly. The remaining member of Vox Machina refuses to accept this fate. 
> 
> "_One thread sprouted from his chest and stretched out, winding and tangling with the others as they all stretched up into the heavens. [He] forced a smile to spread across his stiff face._
> 
> I'll see you all there...
> 
> _And then there was nothing._"

The banishment of Vecna was quite the spectacle. The titan was stopped, millions of lives were saved. The wannabe-god of undeath and destruction was gone. Vox Machina would have had some sort of bittersweet celebration if Vecna had not taken most of them with him in the fury of his failure. 

Scanlan Shorthalt laid, sprawled on the streets of Thar Amphala. He was beaten and bloody, his head spinning and reeling from the latest events. Wyvern riders grasped and rescued those clinging from the remnants of the platforms that were crumpling in Vecna's absence, leaving the heroes for just a moment so a healer could be reached and brought. 

It took a moment for him to gain any strength in his body. Everything about the fight was so... Exhausting. He blinked, blearily before shutting his eyes again and finally managing to raise his hand to his ear and grasp the earring that connected all of Vox Machina's members. 

"We did it, you guys..." He rasped, a pained smile spreading across his face. "We... We killed a fucking god. Again? I think?" 

A moment passed.

Several moments passed.

"You guys?" 

Scanlan opened his eyes and forced himself to stand up, his body aching, strained from injury and intense use of his powers. He glanced around, immediately spotting Grog's large shape laying on the street.

"Grog..." He croaked, ignoring the pain in his muscles and crawling over to his friend. He placed his hand on the Goliath's limp arm, using it for stability to try and haul himself onto his knees. "Grog, buddy, hey..." 

No response. 

"G... Grog?" Scanlan shuffled to his head, reaching and letting his hand touch the side of Grog's bearded face. He jerked back almost immediately, the unnatural stillness catching him off guard. "Oh... Fuck."

It took a moment to process. The Goliath was covered in injuries, patches of his skin even dark and withered from necrotic damage from some of Vecna's bullshit. Though, the wounds were nothing Scanlan hadn't seen on a walking, living Grog before. Then he noticed the blood pooling underneath Grog's head.

Vecna hadn't truly killed him. Falling from a collapsing platform from thousands of feet up had killed him. 

For some reason, Scanlan found that funny. His chest heaved and his body trembled as he coughed out laughter that felt and probably sounded more like sobbing. 

"Okay... Okay... I'll... Just get Pike. She'll help you," Scanlan gave Grog a pat on the head, taking some effort to stand before he turned and continued to look.

It didn't take long for him to find the rest. He found Vex and Percy next. Percy seemed to haven been heavily hit by some kind of necrotic spell as well. Vex had her arms wrapped around him, rigor mortis having set in and locked them in place. They would almost have looked like they were sleeping if Vex didn't have such a clear head injury and part of Percy's face wasn't already rotted away. 

Keyleth and Vax were next. The Planetar form was gone and Keyleth was curled against Vax, who was clutching her. He was still alive at least, but barely. He was gazing at her, his eyes almost glazed in a look that Scanlan knew meant his own death was near, but the half-elf's attention was more focused on his lover than his own physical state.

"Hey, Vax..." Scanlan almost collapsed as he grew closer, falling to his knees and into Vax's view. He wasn't sure if Vax could even see him. 

"Sc... Scanlan?"

"Yeah," the gnome grasped at an outstretched hand. Vax's hand wasn't aimed at him. It was more just reaching and hoping to find purchase. He definitely couldn't see. "We did it, man."

"I... Heard..." Vax's lips twitched, trying to smile but it quickly turned into a wince. "Is... Is my sister alright?" 

Scanlan glanced back to where Vex's body was laying, clutching her husband. She might have tried to heal him before she ended up dying herself. He swallowed, hard.

"Pike... Pike's getting to her," he lied. He was good at lying. He could lie and give Vax a little peace. The rogue-paladin might be pissed when he comes back and will probably drag him into the ninth level of the Hells, but Scanlan can worry about that later. "Pike's with her. She's okay."

"Okay," Vax did smile at that. His eyes were still trained on Keyleth's lifeless form. "Can you... Tell her to come help Kiki next?" 

"Already on it," Scanlan took the hand Vax was holding his with and wrapped the arm around Keyleth in a similar embrace to the de Rolos, who were laying a few feet away. "Thank you for helping us. Thank you for coming back. I... I love you. So much. I'm so sorry." 

Vax didn't respond. His eyes, still trained on Keyleth, didn't blink and his already cold body no longer took any breaths. Scanlan swallowed down a sob and stood up again. He just needed to find Pike. Pike can bring them all back. He'll help her find the things necessary. It'll be fine.

It'll be fine.

It'll...

He found Pike last.

She was underneath a piece of stone. It was slightly scorched and barely hiding the splatter of red underneath. He shook and stumble over, slamming himself into the rock. He pushed and he pushed and he slipped and got up and kept pushing. He cried out and slammed his fists against it, alerting one of the wyvern riders who flew down to investigate.

"Sir-?"

"Get it off! Get it off her! Quick, hurry, please!"

The rider looked at him, then at the stone. A flash of sadness and pity crossed over his features before he took his beast and forced it to lift and move the withered piece of stone. A large stain of red went with it. 

Scanlan only looked at what was left behind for a moment before spinning around and collapsing, burying his face into his hands. 

The rock was burned. Her armor brought her back, for just a brief moment hopefully. It still wasn't enough.

Like how her pendant wasn't enough to save Percy.

Scanlan started laughing again. He wheezed and giggled and pulled at his hair as streams of tears ran down his face. 

Of course. Of course this happens. Of course they save the world and then all die afterward. Except him. Why not him too? It didn't make any sense. Vex, Vax, Percy, Keyleth, Pike, _Grog_ didn't manage to survive, yet here he was. Now he had to move on. He had to live with the images of his dead family dancing around in his head. He had to share their stories and look in the faces of Cassandra, of Korrin, of Wilhand, of all their friends and family and tell him that they all died and he managed to escape somewhat unscathed.

Just like Sprigg had predicted.

Fuck.

He couldn't do that. There had to be another way. Scanlan Shorthalt was a selfish, selfish man. He knows that. He's always been that. Old habits die too hard. 

"This probably won't work," Scanlan lowered his hands and spoke out into the unknown. "I don't have the power to _do_ this spell. I used it on... To make sure..." 

He couldn't say it. He couldn't say the name of the bastard that murdered his family. Damn, he was pathetic. But that won't matter if this works. When this works, it _has_ to work. 

"I wish..." Scanlan lifted his hand, weaving the all-powerful spell into his words has his hand weakly drew out the runes needed for the casting. He considered what he was wishing for for a moment. He glanced around before finally deciding. "I wish all of the souls of Grog, Pike, Keyleth, Percival, Vex'ahlia, Vax'ildan and I meet again, at some point in the future, whether it be now or a hundred years from now and we remain together forever."

He hesitated on finalizing it. Then he released it. "Please. Please. I just need them. I need them with me."

The spell sparked and disappeared into the air. Scanlan stared up into the sky, watching as the clouds began to part and the sun began to shine- _No- How dare you? How_ dare _you continue on like any of this was good. How dare life go on without them?_-and let out a soft breath. It didn't work. Of course-

Scanlan felt cold begin to race through him, causing his muscles to seize and lock in pain. He let out a choked gasp, feeling a great pain tear through him. He's never cast a spell without having the strength needed to do so. He's heard it was dangerous. He's heard it was idiotic. Maybe this is proof. 

Scanlan's vision began to darken. Was he dying? Was he going to die for this? 

_... Good. Good. Okay, cool._ He was alright with that. As far as everyone else knows, they all died defeating Vecna. _That's fine._

Just as his vision began to fade, he noticed something odd. Long, glowing, golden threads began to sprout and rise from the bodies of his friends. The one growing from Vax was frayed and damaged and seemed like it was being pulled in a different direction before it began to slow as Keyleth's and Vex's and the others began to wrap and knot around it. The thread was pulled in with the others and abandoned its previous destination as it was dragged upward with the rest. He could feel a cool, harsh presence near him and he could hear the angry cry of a raven. 

One thread sprouted from his chest and stretched out, winding and tangling with the others as they all stretched up into the heavens. Scanlan forced a smile to spread across his stiff face. 

_I'll see you all there..._

And then there was nothing.

•••

Nott startled awake, a gasp caught in her throat and making her cough. She blinked rapidly, tears escaping. She didn't remember what she'd been dreaming about. She couldn't even tell if it was all that awful. She wasn't sweating, wasn't gasping in the way she usually was. She just knew the dream was painful in a way that was... So different from the usual pain.

Tilting her head to the side, she looked around and remembered they were in the hut. Everyone was curled around her, arms and legs knotting together in a way that everyone was used to but no one spoke of once the hut disappeared. It was nice, really. 

Scooting more towards Caleb, she lifted his arm and burrowed underneath, sighing softly as she tried to return to sleep. Yet... Something stopped her, even for the briefest of moments. With her eyes still closed, she rolled back onto her back. And opened her eyes.

The top of the hut was occupied by a large, golden... Knot? It was huge and pulsing with soft light, looking almost like a yarn ball, only if it was made out of millions of silk threads.

Nott laid there, frozen, staring, in awe or in shock, it was hard to tell. After blinking a few times, she was able to move her head again. Only she did so not to turn and shut her eyes, but to look around at her friends again.

They all seemed to be laying in different positions than they were originally for a moment. Yasha was sprawled out to the side on her own. Jester was cuddling with Cadueces. Caleb and Beau, strangely, had their arms thrown around each other in a sleeping embrace. Fjord was alone, off to the side as well. This left Nott stranded, on her own.

When she blinked again, it was normal. Everyone was knotted together and close, warming the hut even more so than it was already and covering her with arms and legs. Yet something else was left unusual. A single golden thread rose from the chests of each of her friends, including herself.

Turning her head to follow Caleb's, she noticed all of their threads braided together halfway to the large golden knot above them before they merged with it. 

_You took a risk to do this..._ a cold voice growled in his ear, sounding bitter and displeased. _You better take care of him. Of all of them._

"I will..." She whispered to the voice, unsure who it was or where it was coming from. All she knew is that the Mighty Nein wasn't going to end like last time. Only she wasn't sure what "Last time" was referring to. 

Turning to look at Caleb, she noticed his thread was damaged. It looked like someone viciously tried and failed to slice it with a blade, leaving it frayed and ugly. Yet Nott reached out and touched it, feeling its warmth and watched as it pulsed and glowed just a tad bit lighter. Slowly, the thread seemed to heal, but only by the smallest amount before it didn't seem to change anymore.

"I saved you..." She whispered, watching as Caleb let out a soft exhale and previously unseen tension bled from his body. "My boy... I found you." 

Gazing at the many other forms curled around her, she gave a soft, almost dazed smile. "I found you all again..."

She didn't even have a clue what _she_ was talking about. But saying it out loud felt so nice, even if she didn't understand what the words meant. She felt too tired suddenly to care. She wiggled closer to Caleb, breathing in his scent of soot and warmth before drifting back to sleep.

Outside the hut, a dark figure with a porcelain white mask stared at the sleeping group. Her eyes fixed on Caleb and Nott, though unseen, her gaze still held a bitterness to it.

"You can't keep my champion from me forever, Scanlan Shorthalt..." She spoke, her words going unheard, even by Cadueces. "I'll get him soon enough." 

_"You won't..."_ a breath of a whisper made the figure's shoulders tense. _"Wish is a filthy spell, isn't it? He's ours now..."_

"Want to make a bet?" The figure growled into the night. The whisper spoke back, a grin and horribly ballsy challenge in its tone.

_ **"How much?"** _

With an indignant huff, the figure blew away with the wind, leaving behind only feathers. Nott and Jester would find those in the morning, Nott having no memory of her visions the night before. But for now, she clung to Caleb like a child brandishing a prize they won through skillful cheating. He was hers. They all were hers. 

_And now I'll **always** have you all with me..._


	6. New Blood - Vox Machina & The Mighty Nein

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Universe: The coterie who call themselves Vox Machina tend to take in stray fledglings and neonates. Inspired by VtM: LA by Night.
> 
> "_"She didn't sire him!" Nott snapped. She always did hate when Vax snuck up on her, yet despite that, she still begs him to teach her how to be that stealthy. "She just found him! And he's super young!"_
> 
> _"How young?" Caleb gently pulled Nott back from Vax, who had his hands raised in surrender. _
> 
> _Nott looked up at him, biting her lip and tugging on her sleeve. "B... Beau says she's pretty sure the blood she found in his mouth was still his sire's."_"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> D&D races are still canon. Nott and Cadueces are not vampires. Nott and Caleb were too attached to each other to be separated and Cadueces is oddly friendly, they aren't sure what his deal is.

"Caleb.." 

The redhead stiffened only briefly before the voice registered in his head. Despite the fact that there wasn't any sign of the individual around him, he knew the voice. He'd know the voice anywhere.

"Vax'ildan," he spoke softly in response, not letting his head rise from the book it was buried in. There was no point to. He knew he wouldn't see the other man if he looked. 

"Hearing from your sire isn't even interesting enough to gain your full attention?" Vax'ildan's voice said, traveling behind him and closer to his ear as if he was leaning over. Caleb still didn't react, plenty used to Vax's antics. "You could just call me Vax, you know. I've told you hundreds of times."

"You are not my sire," Caleb responded easily, flipping the page of his book. "And I remember every single time you've told me quite vividly."

"You just choose to ignore me?" The voice had no anger in it, just amusement. "Alright, have it your way. Where's the little one?"

"Itching," Caleb said as if that simple word would answer the question. It oddly did. 

"Alone? Will she be alright?"

"Nott can take care of herself."

"Oh, I know, I just-" 

Speaking of which, the mostly empty space was suddenly filled with a screeching. Caleb startled and nearly dropped his book as his head snapped up, his mind taking a moment to recognize the word without the yelling.

"CALEB! CALEB CALEB CALEB!"

"I.. Think she's looking for you.." Vax'ildan's voice muttered in his ear before Caleb stood up and quickly spotted the voice of the shouting scrambling onto his table. 

"CALEB! BEAU FOUND A FLEDGE-"

Caleb lunged and scooped her into his arms, pressing her against his chest. She continued to shout, but her words were thankfully muffled beyond recognition. He rushed upstairs to the rooms the bar provided, tossing the door to the room he shared with Nott open and planting Nott on her feet in the doorway, mainly so Vax could slip in if he so pleased. 

"You remember how we do _not_ mention things like fledglings?" Caleb spoke lowly. He knew Vax'ildan was quick so he only counted to ten before ushering Nott completely inside and shutting the door. "Especially out in public areas?"

"Sorry, Caleb," Nott was still twitching and glancing at the door. "But Beau told me to get you really quickly! She found a fledgling out in the streets and he's not doing so well..."

"_Found_ one?" Vax'ildan's voice startled Nott quite a bit, but Caleb simply rose his eyes to see the half-elven vampire leaning against the wall of the room, staring down at Nott with an uncertain gaze. 

"She didn't sire him!" Nott snapped. She always did hate when Vax snuck up on her, yet despite that, she still begs him to teach her how to be that stealthy. "She just found him! And he's super young!"

"How young?" Caleb gently pulled Nott back from Vax, who had his hands raised in surrender. 

Nott looked up at him, biting her lip and tugging on her sleeve. "B... Beau says she's pretty sure the blood she found in his mouth was still his sire's."

Caleb winced and he could hear Vax growl from here he stood. A newborn childe tends to feed very soon after their embrace. If the only blood this poor thing's had was most likely the blood given to turn them, they were truly young.

"That's bad..." Vax finally said. "Please, go make sure the two of them don't do anything dangerous. To others and to each other. I'll alert the rest of the coterie."

Caleb nodded, finding no reason to argue. He didn't want Beau dying from a starving vampire whelp. He knew Beau could take care of herself but... This might be too personal for her to really think clearly about. He scooped Nott into his arms in a familiar motion, settling her atop his shoulders before rushing out of the inn. One perk about vampirism. He was out onto the street in no time and continued, trusting Nott to steer him in the right direction by shouting directions unnecessarily loud into his ear. 

It didn't take long to find them, thankfully. The two in question were tucked behind a building, far from prying eyes and hidden for the most part in the shadows of both the structure and the night sky. 

Beauregard was crouched in their hiding spot, arms full of a trembling figure. Her head snapped up in response to Caleb's sudden presence, immediately on the defense until recognition lit in her eyes and she visibly relaxed. 

"Fuck, man, finally," she sighed, beckoning them closer. Caleb set Nott down and stalked closer, crouching down in front of his friend and the new little fledgling.

Beauregard gazed almost helplessly down at the figure in her arms, a strange softness Caleb wasn't used to seeing but, given the circumstance, wasn't surprised by. Of course she felt so strongly about this childe. Being abandoned by one's sire is probably somehow more traumatizing than your death and embrace. Beau, sadly, knew that well.

"I... Have no idea what to fucking do, Caleb," she admitted, a rare weakness in her voice. "He's... He's the youngest I've ever met. Even Jester wasn't _this_ young when we took her in. I mean, fuck. And he was just... Here. Alone." 

"You said his sire's blood was still on his lips?" Caleb reached out and touched the childe's shoulder. The guy was shaking, yet other than that, unresponsive. That couldn't be a good sign. 

"It was dried but, yeah. I'm pretty sure. It sure as hell didn't smell like mortal blood." 

Caleb reached and let his hand travel to the fledgling's face. He felt his hair, then his jaw, his cheek-

"Oh." 

Caleb pulled his hand back to see a dark, crimson smear across his fingers. Beau grimaced a bit.

"Yeah, that's mine." 

"Yours?" Caleb sniffed the blood a bit. It was certainly Beauregard's. "He attacked you?" 

"No, I fed him," Beau said, her voice sounding like it was expecting a challenge. "He was delusional and kept muttering to himself. He was clearly going to frenzy sooner or later." 

"Ah." Caleb took a moment to look over the childe now that he was closer. Living with Jester, he quickly recognized the signs of a tiefling. Horns curled back against his head, a tail that had wrapped itself around Beau's wrist, even skin that was clearly an inhuman color, even in the moonlight. "Have you been able to speak with him at all, or has he just been..." Caleb gestured weakly to the trembling form.

"He's been like this since I found him," Beau seemed to try and shift her arms but the figure immediately clung tighter. "And he's super fucking clingy."

"So were you." 

Caleb ignored the glare he was given in return for that statement and managed to get a grip on the tiefling's arm and pry it from its tight grip on Beau. The tiefling let out a hoarse whine, but Caleb continued and wrapped it around his own shoulders. "Let's get him back home, then. Vax'ildan is already telling the rest."

"We're... Bringing him back?" Beau seemed a bit shocked.

"_Ja_, duh," Caleb arched an eyebrow at her. 

"Alright, smartass." 

"Can I help?" Nott was fluttering around them as they both stood and forced the tiefling onto their feet. 

Caleb got a slightly better look at their face, despite their head hanging limply once they were upright. He saw a flash of red from the tiefling's half-lidded eyes and the smear of red across his mouth. He also noticed the red stain on Beau's shoulder. 

"_Nein, Liebling,_ we are alright. He's a messy eater, _ja_?" Caleb lightly asked Beau the last question, using his sleeve to wipe off the smear of red from the violet skin. The look of Beau's blood on someone's mouth made him a bit sick. Plus, they did need to pass by people in order to get home. He doubted either of them could explain the blood on his _mouth_ as easily as they could with the blood of Beau's shoulder.

"So's Yasha. And Jester."

"He will fit right in." 

•••

It took a bit before they were able to drag the tiefling fledgling back to their haven. It was a mostly abandoned house, the windows blocked with boards and curtains and the electricity only working because they have a Percy at hand. It wasn't the prettiest place to live. They all had their little spots to hide away in during the day and just in case mortals decide to squat there as well. Thankfully that only happens during the serious winter months and those who stick around for too long are usually chased out by either Jester or Vax'ildan. 

Nott graciously opened the door for the trio as they ducked into their haven and trusted Nott to shut and lock the door behind them. 

The tiefling had been silent for part of the journey, but about halfway there he began groaning and growling, his head lolling about and his solid eyes glaring at Caleb and Beau in almost a daze. He was still very hungry. Understandably so. He wasn't used to the hunger yet. Newborns, hopefully, get a full meal during their first night. Then they have to learn control. This one probably hasn't had that full meal. Caleb recognized the sluggish movements and feral gaze. He knew a starving fledgling when he saw one, even if Beau gave him a bit of her blood. 

"GUYS!" Nott screeched, surely alerting the entire household, as well as the rats and roaches living in the floors and walls, that they were home. "WE'RE BACK!"

"I've noticed."

"FUCK!" 

Of course, Vax'ildan had once again seemingly appeared from nowhere and scared poor Nott out of her skin.

"One of these days," she glowered at him, pointing one claw in a threatening nature. "One of these days you'll really regret sneaking up on me." 

"Okay, can you guys do this later?" Beauregard spoke up, using one hand to push the tiefling's face away from her as he tried to weakly dig his fangs back into her. "We kinda got more important things to deal with right now."

"Right, right, of course," Vax smiled down at Nott before looking to the two City Kids (as the coterie lovingly referred to Caleb and Beau as). His expression shifted a bit, probably noticing the blood on Beauregard. "Beau, are you...?"

"I'm fine- Ow, fuck!" Beau yanked her hand away after the tiefling had managed to nick her fingers with his fangs.

"Well don't stick your fingers in his mouth!" 

"I wasn't! I was trying to get his face away from me, goddammit!" 

"He's quite heavy, can we please get him somewhere... More comfortable?" Caleb said, his body starting to tremble from even the little weight of the tiefling he was supporting. Even his undead form was a bit... Squishy. 

They did manage to bring to tiefling into a living room area where the rest of the coterie were waiting. Percy, Vex, Jester, and Keyleth were sitting on the couch, Fjord was sitting in a separate chair. Pike was standing, fiddling with her fingers before she turned her attention to the arrivals. Grog was standing by the entrance, giving the new kid a look as they pulled him past. Scanlan was standing next to Pike, naturally. It was uncertain where Cadueces was, but knowing him he was most likely preparing some sort of beverage they can all have. It was also uncertain where Yasha went, but they were plenty used to her disappearing and reappearing, as long as she didn't do anything stupid or reckless while she was gone.

"You're here!" Keyleth perked up upon seeing them, then shrunk back a little once her eyes landed on the tiefling. "Oh no... Are they alright?" 

"Define 'alright'," Beau huffed slightly. Her adoptive sire had learned not to take her sass personally. 

"Let me see them," Pike stepped forward with her hands out, her tone immediately taking the 'No-nonsense' kind that only she and Nott could successfully pull off. "Actually, no, Fjord, move. Let them sit there."

Fjord knew better than to argue. He stood and shuffled towards the couch, allowing the City Kids to sit the tiefling down and Beau quickly helping Pike onto the fledgling's lap so she could examine him better. 

"How young did you say he was?" Vex'ahlia asked, leaned forward towards the tiefling from where she was sitting. One arm was wrapped around Jester, but it was more as a way to keep her adoptive childe from rushing over and crowding the poor thing. It was a rightful caution, seeing that Jester was practically vibrating at the sight of another tiefling. 

"I dunno," Beau fell back away from the tiefling and Pike, rolling her shoulders. "There was blood on his mouth that was both dried and from a vampire, so it could be his sire's blood and he just hadn't eaten anything else yet or..." 

"Are you sure he's that young though?" Scanlan had climbed the couch, avoiding getting shoved off by Vex by scrambling onto Percy, who only shot him a mildly annoyed look before switching his attention back to the task at hand. "His sire could have been feeding his blood and this is just the first night he stopped. You know, weaning."

"He's young," Both Pike and Nott said at the same time, the latter having crept a little closer to the tiefling in the chair. 

"How do you know?" Scanlan gave Nott a bit of a look. It was no secret Scanlan didn't like her, but Vox Machina managed to keep Scanlan from draining her brutally for this long. 

"She knows," Caleb didn't hesitate to jump to Nott's defense.

"I know what a fledgling looks like," Nott said, not flinching as far from Scanlan as she normally did, which was probably a good sign that shows she may be growing some thicker skin around him. "I've seen Caleb and Beau during their first night. I know what it looks like. He's very young."

"She's right," Pike shot Scanlan a look that made him turn away from both her and Nott. Satisfied, the gnome turned back and cupped the tiefling's face, not concerned about his dull eyes and visible fangs. "You're just a baby still, poor thing. And you're hungry... Beau, is this your blood?"

The gnome wiped a small smudge that remained the tiefling's bottom lip. The fledgling did try to nip at her thumb, but Pike has dealt with too many newborn fledglings to be caught off guard. 

"I... Fed him a little, yeah," Beau rubbed the shaven bit of her head. "Sorry-"

"No, it's fine," Pike said quickly. "I just want to make sure he didn't attack you or you didn't..." She trailed off, but the meaning was clear. 

"I didn't fucking sire him!" Beau snapped. "Why would I want to do that anyway?!"

"We never said you would!" Keyleth cut in quickly. "We were just making sure because that would... Kinda change a few things."

"He's not mine," Beau sent a glare to everyone in the room, her voice signaling the finality. "I found him. I fed him a _little_. Like a couple mouthfuls. But that was when he was already up and stumbling around. He's not mine. He's... Someone else's."

"We believe you," Percy held his hand up in what was probably meant to be a calming gesture but Beau just glared. The white-haired vampire turned to Pike. "What do you think, Pike?"

"I think he needs to eat," Pike gave the tiefling a pat on the cheek before sliding off his lap, pulling away from the fledgling's grabbing hands. "Now. Not sooner or later. Now. That bit Beau gave him is probably what's keeping him from sucking me like a juice box right now. He... Also needs a sire if we're keeping him. And unless anyone wants a broodmate, Scanlan and Percy are our choices." 

"You should take him, darling!" Vex clapped her hands together and looked at Percy eagerly. "You're the only childe-less one of us!"

"Scanlan doesn't have one!" Percy sputtered, clearly caught off guard by his wife so quickly jumping to offer him up. 

"Scanlan has Kaylie!" Keyleth wiggled her eyebrows, also apparently against him. 

"I have more than Kaylie..." Scanlan muttered, wincing a bit at the bitter thoughts and memories of his years as a vampire. 

"But-"

"Oh come on, dear, even Grog has Fjord!" Vex grabbed Percy's shoulders and shook him a bit. "We agreed that if we were going to be adopting little vampires into our coterie that we were each going to watch over at least one!"

"Kaylie isn't even part of our coterie, technically, so-" 

"C'mon, Freddie!" Vax appeared behind the couch to join his sister in shaking Percy. "Now you're just grasping for excuses to make Scanlan do it!"

"Alright, alright!" Percy pushed the hands of the twins off of him. "I'll... I'll feed him. I'll get him food. I'm not _claiming_ him, per se, but I'll bring him downstairs and feed him."

"Make it someone good!" Jester piped up as Team Half-Elf cheered for their victory. "He looks super hungry! Make it someone he can just kill right then!" 

Percy ignored Jester and stood up, wrapping the tiefling's arms around his shoulders with Fjord's help and pulling him to a stand. 

"Please don't," Percy nudged the fledgling's face away from his shoulder as he tried to bite him. 

"Aw, you're so good with him, Percy," Pike cooed, earning a glare for her teasing. 

"We'll be back," Percy huffed and begrudgingly dragged the tiefling out of the room.

•••

The dungeon underneath their broken little haven was just a basement filled with rooms. The doors were locked and the occupants were chained to their beds. There were a few dangerous vampires kept down here, but there were a couple of mortals that just _really_ got on the bad side of the members of Vox Machina, which by now was a fatal mistake. 

"I think I know who to give you..." Percy mused aloud, looking down at the tiefling he was practically carrying at this point. A pair of solid red eyes were staring up at him. They had a pitiful look to them, like a child who was too young to understand the pain they were in. "You'll have them all to yourself." 

"Please..." A weak voice rasped, startling Percy just a moment. It took a second for him to realize it was coming from those pitiful eyes.

"You will," Percy's voice lowered into something soft and nearly comforting almost on its own. "You won't be starving for long. I promise." 

He stopped at a door, moving a painting placed simply to hide the little compartment where the key was kept. "Just don't frenzy immediately, alright?" 

Unlocking the door, he slipped in and helped the tiefling stumble in beside him. He almost didn't want to turn and face the figure in the room, but they weren't as hesitant to start a conversation as he was.

"Percival, what a surprise!" 

"Anna..." Percy turned to give the woman a clearly forced smile. "It's been a while."

"You never do come to visit me anymore," Dr. Anna Ripley sat on the cot the room provides, her mattress stained with her blood and her clothing torn and stained as well. Still, she sat proud and tall, her eyes eerily sharp and calculating as usual. "You usually send one of your... Little ones. They're quite charming."

Her eyes, of course, found the tiefling curled underneath Percy's arm quite quickly. Glancing down, Percy immediately saw the hungry, feral look in those once pitiful eyes. His talons were digging into Percy's flesh, his body twitching and yearning to surge forward and claim the blood he was promised.

"Percival... You didn't," Anna seemed genuinely surprised. 

"You're right. I didn't," Percy said, rubbing the tiefling's back as he tried to help them straighten themselves. 

"Oh. So you didn't sire him?" Ripley leaned back a bit, rightfully eyeing the tiefling with uncertainty. It would take one idiotic or naive mortal to not be wary around a hungry fledgling. 

"I did not. But I was put in charge of watching him anyway." Percy let the fledgling slide down to the floor and had him lean against the wall. A purple hand grasped at his sleeve, large eyes still staring at Ripley with an intense gaze. "Patience, dear," he assured him, prying the fingers off his arm. "You'll have your meal."

"How... Young is he?" 

"This is his first night," Percival stepped up to Anna, grasping the handcuffs that kept her to the bed and began unlocking them. "His sire up and abandoned him, poor thing."

"Percival," Ripley let a little bit of nerve slip in her tone as the handcuffs came free. "I know all of your... Fosters have had a taste of me, but isn't this a bit risky? I doubt he has much self-control..." 

"Oh, I'm sure he has none!" Percival grinned and let the restraints hang limp again the frame of the bed. "But I promised him at least one night free of hunger and I intend on keeping that promise."

"You won't let him kill me," Anna caught his eyes and gave him a clear challenge. "You wouldn't. I made you, Percival. I'm practically your sire."

"Last I checked, mortals couldn't sire a vampire," Percy took a step back. "You didn't sire me, Anna. You're the reason I am what I am, yes, but my true sire was Sylas. And I'm afraid he's meet the final death already. I have no connection with you."

"Percival," Ripley practically leaped off the bed and pressed into the nearest corner. "Percival, you wouldn't. You want me alive. Or maybe you don't, you just don't have the balls to kill me. You hate me. I killed your family, I killed you. You don't want any little thing to end my life. What I did is unforgivable. You want me to pay for that in a worse way than dying by a fledgling's fangs."

Percy stared at her, long and hard. A smile crept on her face as she began to silently celebrate her victory. That was until Percy surged forward and punched her, right in the face. 

She was knocked backward, smacking her head against the wall before she was able to catch herself. She groaned, lifting a hand to her face as she glowered at the smug-looking vampire in front of her. What he was so smug about, she wasn't sure. Well... She wasn't sure until she felt something wet gather on her upper lip. Reaching with two fingers, she looked down at the droplets of blood that stuck to her fingertips.

"Oh... Fuck." 

A snarl cut through the air as a blur of purple raced up and latched its talons onto her already ripped clothing. The scrambling, wild beast that was dragging Ripley to the ground was a stark contrast to the slumped form that was resting in the corner of the room just a minute ago. She let out a shout, trying to raise her arms so she could push the being away, but soon she was pinned on her back, futilely struggling against the undead being on top of her. 

"N-No, no, Perci-" she inhaled sharply as pain pierced her throat, fangs sinking into her artery and fear of what was to happen making her muscles seize. She could _feel_ her life's blood was pulled from her body. Her hands fumbled and tugged at the fledgling's clothing, but it didn't do much good.

Percival did step into her line of sight. She looked pathetic, her fight or flight instincts kicking in and causing her to pound and scratch at the tiefling's back in an attempt to get him off. It wasn't working, of course. It was interesting to see someone he always knew was horribly dangerous dragged down to such a pitiful state of helplessness. 

He wondered if he looked like this when he died. 

"Anna..." he spoke as he watched her movements turn sluggish and weak. She didn't have much time left. Especially since her jerking was causing the tiefling and shift and latch into different places on her neck to continue drinking, leaving more areas for her to bleed from. "... I forgive you for what you did. For killing my family. For killing me. For having Sylas turn my sister and I into... Monsters. What happened has happened. Holding a grudge won't do me any good, especially since you've doomed me to eternity in this plane of existence. So, I forgive you. But a vampire needs to feed, whether I give a shit about you or not." 

Anna let out a croak, her eyelids fluttering yet her gaze remained locked on him. Finally, her grip on the tiefling weakened and weakened before it released completely and a final exhale escaped her gaping mouth before she stilled. 

Percy watched for a few moments more as the tiefling continued to gulp down whatever was left before whatever veins he'd latched onto ran dry. He moved and sunk his fangs into a different spot on her throat, clearly coming up with nothing as he quickly moved elsewhere. 

"I'm sorry to say, but I think you've finished her," Percy said but made no move to remove him. 

The tiefling groaned softly and began frantically lapping at the blood smears left on her skin and on the floor before sitting up with a gasp. Percy stepped and knelt down next to him, gently easing him back a bit more. 

"All full now?" 

The tiefling nodded mutely. His hand traveled up and wiped at his cheek, removing a good portion of a blood smear that had painted itself across his mouth. He promptly licked it off his hand. Percy couldn't judge too much. Why let good blood go to waste? Though right after, those pitiful red eyes traveled back to meet his. Now that he's probably come back to some of his senses, he was probably terrified. He could only imagine that the last few... Maybe hours were nothing but a blur in his previous state. Percy could remember that awful feeling. 

"That painful hunger you felt just a minute ago?" Percy continued anyway. "It'll come back. You're free for a little while, but it'll come back. Not as strong as before, at least not right away. It'll build and it'll build and if you're not careful, it'll become that awful starvation once more. And the only way to get rid of it completely is to kill another person."

Those eyes widened and he looked at Ripley in almost numb horror.

"Oh yes, she's very dead," Percy gently patted his back. "Don't worry, she was terrible. But if you get that hungry again, it won't matter if the person is terrible or not. You'll just want to feed on whoever you come across. You don't want that, do you?"

The tiefling shook his head quickly.

"Good! I don't want that either. I'm glad we're both in agreement," Percy moved his hand and gently squeezed the tiefling's shoulder. "I will help you. I will make sure you never have to kill again if that's what you want. It'll take learning to get used to being at least a _bit_ hungry forever, no matter how much you try. But if you're up for that, I will be with you. And so will everyone you just saw upstairs, if you remember them. Would you like that? Because there's no going back. Either you stay and learn or we kill you, sadly. We can't have a feral childe sucking the city dry. You understand, right?"

If Percival was trying to be comforting, he sort of ruined that after a certain point. The tiefling's features had settled to a sort of calm before the ending. Now he was just staring with fear, which isn't really what Percy was looking for.

"I'm just... Sorry, I don't really- Ah, nevermind..." Why the others thought giving _him_ a fledgling was a good idea was beyond him.

The tiefling turned back to Ripley. "That... Felt good."

Percy perked up, surprised at the sound of the other's voice. It wasn't as strained or weak and had hints of an accent. "Killing her?"

"Yes. I... I don't like that it felt good."

"You don't want to do it again." That wasn't a question. The tiefling knew it wasn't.

"No. Never again. That... That was bad. I feel bad."

"Good. Good," Percy gave the poor kid a little shake. "There's hope for you yet. I'll teach you. There are... Better ways of going about this. You'll learn. This won't happen again, not if you don't want it to. Not if I can help it."

"Thank you..." The tiefling looked back up at Percy. "Th-Thank you." 

"Of course, my childe," the ghoulish endearment that took on an entirely new meaning when coming from a vampire's mouth felt natural on Percy's tongue. It was almost frightening. Yet the tiefling didn't question it. 

Percy stood and helped lift the little one up with him. 

"Do you have a name, by the way?" Percy asked. "Now that's you're more... Coherent."

"... You can call me Molly," Molly answered after a brief moment. 

"Alright then, Molly. Welcome to our coterie. Let's hope Jester doesn't pounce on you too hard. She doesn't get to speak with many other tieflings and she's rather, uh, excitable."

"She sounds lovely."

"Oh dear, you have no idea."


	7. Drowning - Vox Machina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Universe: Vax finds himself in a pickle.
> 
> "_"I. Don't. Know. Anything," Vax leaned forward, talking slowly as if to a child. "Let me go now and you might not get hurt."_
> 
> _"Fine. Be that way. I tried to be nice." _
> 
> _Lydara turned and clapped her hands. Four figures marched forward and into the room. Vax tensed, though a part of his mind having expected this. That didn't mean he had to like it._
> 
> _"Bring him to the pool," Lydara waved in his direction, sounding suddenly bored. He must have given off some sort of confusion or fear since she turned and smiled at him. "If you aren't going to cooperate, what do we need you for?"_"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! Temporary Major Character Death ahead! Well... Sort of, but i figure it's possibly triggering enough to need a warning. Also, descriptions of drowning... Kinda. It's weird, you'll see, but it's meant to look odd.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Vax was the rogue. He was slippery and could hide in broad daylight if he needed to. He wasn't supposed to get captured. He wasn't supposed to be locked up in a cell and forced to wait for whoever wanted him to come and deal with him. Yet here was in. 

_Better than Vex or Percy or Keyleth or anyone else being in here, _ Vax repeated to himself as he laid on the stone floor of his cell. _Better me than them._

He wasn't fully sure what his captors wanted from him. Sure, anyone would love to have a member of the legendary Vox Machina in their grasp. Everyone knew how close the band of heroes were. Everyone knew if one of them was messed with, you had to deal with all of them. They were one. A package deal. It was usually a comfort, knowing his family always had his back as certainly as he knew his name. In cases like this, however, it filled him with bits of dread. He didn't want any of them anywhere near this rotten place. Though he pities the fool who tried to tell Vox Machina they couldn't help one of their own. 

It was hard to tell how long he's been down there. Honestly, it was starting to get to him. The cell was dark and empty. There was no noise, no signs of life, and the air was stale, clearly signaling wherever he was was underground. He could also pick out the distinct scent of death that he was much too familiar with thanks to his lifestyle. Vax was a bit ashamed to say he was more than a little eager at the sound of a door and footsteps, but he immediately perished the thought of saviors. Vox Machina wouldn't make their approach so noticeable.

"Good morning, dear boy!" A light, warm voice called to him as the figure of a woman appeared in front of the bars of his cell. "How are you?"

Vax sat up, glowering at the smiling face. "What the fuck do you want from me?" 

"Well, straight to business, huh? I'll remember this," she gave a grin with a sickly amount of cheer, tapping the side of her head. "Fine then. I want to know what you have underneath Whitestone." 

_The orb,_ Vax remembered immediately. It was mysterious and so clearly dangerous that everyone who worked with it kept very close to their chests, including the members of Vox Machina themselves. How this lady found out about it was a mystery and frankly, it frightened Vax a little.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Vax crossed his arms in front of his chest as best he could with the chains, staring back at her with a clear challenge. "And even if I did know, why the hell would I tell you anything?" 

"Oh, come now, I'm trying to be nice," The woman strolled over and took a ring of keys from some pocket she had and unlocked the door. If Vax wasn't manacled to the wall, he would have rushed her. That probably explains the manacles. "Here, why don't we get to know each other a little better? I'm Lydara."

Vax took a moment to look her over. She was a drow, a dark elf with bluish violet skin and stark white hair that fell in braids down her back. She had long, pointed ears, showing that she was pure-blooded and her eyes were an oddly warm amber. She didn't seem like the type to kidnap a guy. That's what put Vax on edge the most.

"No?" Lydara put her hand on her hip, cocking her head to the side. "Nothing? Really? C'mon."

"I. Don't. Know. Anything," Vax leaned forward, talking slowly as if to a child. "Let me go now and you might not get hurt."

"Fine. Be that way. I tried to be nice." 

Lydara turned and clapped her hands. Four figures marched forward and into the room. Vax tensed, though a part of his mind having expected this. That didn't mean he had to like it.

"Bring him to the pool," Lydara waved in his direction, sounding suddenly bored. He must have given off some sort of confusion or fear since she turned and smiled at him. "If you aren't going to cooperate, what do we need you for?"

_Oh… they're going to kill me…_ Vax's eyes widened a bit. _Oh shit._

"What-"

"Hurry on now!" Lydara clapped again, cutting him off and causing the figures to rush and grab at him. She smiled at him again, but there was a cold gleam in her eyes. "Straight to business, right? No need to talk."

Trying to fight was fruitless. He was chained up and four pairs of hands we're grabbing both the thin clothing he was left with without his armor and the chains they quickly took off of the wall. That didn't stop him from struggling. 

"Just leave him there," Lydara called from inside the cell as the figures dragged him away. "We'll dump him somewhere later."

Vax looked a bit like a fish with his struggling. He tried to throw himself to the ground, kick his legs, pull against the hands that were holding him. It really didn't work. Elbows slammed into his head and once they let him fall and face plant onto the stone. By the time they got to the "pool" his nose was bleeding and he had bruises blooming on the sides of his face. 

The pool wasn't all that big. He'd expected something that filled the room, but it was only 4th by 4th and was built into the floor. He couldn't see how deep it was but it was very clearly filled with water. The room was otherwise completely empty, stone upon stone with no windows or any sign of an exit. 

Vax found himself thrown to the floor, the weight of probably two of the figures pressing down on top of him. Vax really wished he was stronger. He struggled to lift his head, but the figures kept him down. He could hear footsteps, breaths of effort and anything heavy being placed on the ground. Then his chains were being tugged at. 

_Shit… shit shit shitshitshitshit-_

"Guys, come on, we can talk about this!" Vax jerked and tried to lift his head to look at them. Hands shoved his head back down. "I really don't know shit about whatever the fuck is under Whitestone! But I assure you, you're gonna want me alive! The last person who killed a member of Vox Machina isn't doing so hot right now!" 

They didn't respond. Two lifted him up and dragged him towards the pool, the other two lifting the chains with weights attached to them. He tried to struggle, tried to go to protest again, but even with the weights, he found himself moved much faster than he had been previously. He was only managed to let out a startled yelp before he was thrown into the water. He sunk immediately. 

The figures above him put some sort of covering over the top and suddenly everything went dark. He found himself sinking in pitch black for a moment before his half-elven darkvision made it clear he had walls around him. He bit his lip, creating a cloud of red that floated past him as he was pulled down. Underwater wasn't his thing. He couldn't hold his breath for long. He could swim plenty fine but not when he's in chains. This was looking… pretty bad. 

Vax was jostled a little when the weights finally hit the bottom. There was one attached to the chains keeping his hands together and one attached to the chains around his ankles, leaving him floating in an odd position. He jerked about, trying to see if he could lift the weights even a little bit, but no dice. He twisted and strained, feeling his chest tightened with the need to breathe. His vision was going a bit dark as he swallowed and kept his airways stubbornly shut to the water that flowed around him. 

_I'm going to die…_ the thought made him almost want to laugh. _I've killed dragons and saved millions, yet water is going to be what ends me._

The need for air was causing fight or flight to kick in. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as he struggled and twisted in the depths of the pool. There was no way they were actually leaving him here. They wouldn't go through all the trouble of kidnapping him just to give up so quickly. There was no way. Right? Right? 

His lungs were screaming. His head was feeling light and his mind almost floated away, free from the chains that held his body down. He was getting weak, he could feel it. The struggling with the figures, with the chains, all the twisting, and fighting. He was so tired. His muscles ached from the strain and his chest burned with the need for air. 

He thought about his sister then. He thought about his mother. He thought about the band of misfits he now called his family. He thought about the scent of ale, the sound of Scanlan's songs, the warmth of Keyleth in his arms at night. Maybe Pike could bring him back when they find him… if they find him...

_I'm sorry… I love you all..._ were his last thoughts before his mind fought against his common sense and let out a stream of bubbles. 

Cold, shockingly cold water poured into his throat, his nose, filling his lungs. It didn't really hurt. The coolness turned warm after inhaling and exhaling it a few times. His head still felt light and he couldn't focus. 

Was this drowning? Is this what it's like? It expected something different. It never feels good when you accidentally inhale whatever your drinking, so why does this feel so… normal? Maybe it's his mind taking pity on him. It was removing the pain, letting his last moments be peaceful. How kind. 

Vax's world faded to blank after one final exhale. 

•••

The biting cold air was the first thing that brought him to consciousness. The tightness in his chest was what harshly pulled him into alertness. 

Liquid splattered on the floor by his head as he coughed and vomited, his body tense and shaking from both the cold and his lungs' violent attempts to clear themselves. He groaned and curled up, blinking trying to make his eyes focus, but his head hurt so badly. He just wanted to sleep. With his chest aching and cold air filling his lungs once more, he didn't question the fact that he was alive and simply went back to the emptiness of unconsciousness.

He was woken soon after by a foot to his gut. 

"Good morning, dear boy!" 

Lydara was back. She knelt down and brushed his damp hair out of his face- _damp, he felt damp, he was still cold, was that real?_\- and smiled. "You know, I decided it was a bit rash of me to send you to your death like that. Judging by the marks on your wrists and stuff, you didn't go down without a fight. It was a bit sad seeing your body though."

_My body…_ so he had died. She just… brought him back? 

"We can try again," she went on, her voice just as cheerful and warm as it was the first time, her eyes having lost that cold shine to them. "I just want to know what's underneath Whitestone. Easy question, right?" 

Vax stared at her for a few beats. Then he smirked. "I… I knew you wouldn't have let me die." 

Her smile faltered. 

"You need me," he let a grin show, his breathing still shaky with threats of coughs lingering. "You wouldn't kidnap me just to kill me straight away. What a waste that would be."

"But I did kill you," she said, her tone shifting to something dark and cold, like the bite of the water in his lungs. "And I'll do it again. And again. Until I get what I want. Because I want that information and your stubborn ass spirit wouldn't trust me to answer my questions with a Speak with Dead Spell."

That gave him chills. He had been dead. She tried to interrogate him from beyond the grave. When that didn't work, she simply revived him. He would have stayed dead if he hadn't refused to give up the information. 

"So let's try this one more time," she leaned in close to his prone form. "What do you have hidden under Whitestone?" 

Vax stared for a moment before spitting in her face. 

•••

Vax didn't think she'd get so creative. He found himself blindfolded and locked in a box. He could feel the level of water rising. He tried not to panic. He tried not to fight. She'll revive him anyway if his spirit doesn't spill the beans while he's out. But being tied up in a box in pitch darkness as water fills up and covers his face isn't the most comfortable situation. 

So he does fight. He kicks against the sides, as much as he can with his legs tied together, and tries to break the restraints that bound his hands, but it's useless. Soon there's water up to his mouth and he sucks in a breath again as it goes over his nose. And he's in a similar situation. 

_Fuck, guys, just hurry up already,_ he begs his friends in his mind, wishing he could grasp at his earring and call to them. He wasn't even sure they were close enough to hear him. He wasn't sure he could even touch it since he spent most of his time with his hands tied anyway. 

Vax twisted and fought and banged himself against the sides of the box, probably beating himself up worse than his containment. Soon his lungs couldn't take it anymore and he sucked in a breath. Cold, piercing water, filling up his lungs once again. He coughs and struggled, almost as if he could force it out again, but that only caused himself to suck in more immediately after. 

The feeling was the worst. It felt like he could breathe it. It reminded him of the water breathing potions he and the others used on a couple of their missions. Only that time it didn't feel like water in your lungs. It felt like air. It felt natural and even calming. This? This was the worst. 

The water was cold, so cold, always so much colder inside of him than it was on the outside. It was cold to the point of pain. And his lungs knew it wasn't supposed to be there. He had been so busy being dizzy the last time that his body didn't really get time to go "wait a second- what the fuck?!" and cause him to try and spew it from his lungs. This time, however, he couldn't hold his breath for as long. So now he was stuck in an endless cycle of inhaling and violent coughs that brought more inhaling. His throat felt both raw and numb from it all. 

Was this drowning? It was so different than the first time. It was so much worse. It was taking too long. He just wanted to die already. He coughed up another lungful before jerking and slamming his head against the side of the box. That hurt, but not enough.

_Just go to sleep…_ he begged himself, slamming against the side again. He gasped at the pain and choked in the water, coughing it up and inhaling all over again. _Please just make it stop…_

Soon it did, thankfully. He coughed and he wheeze and he slammed his head backward, relief filling him as unconsciousness took over. And, most likely, death as well.

••• 

"Good morning, dear boy!" 

This repeated for so long. Drowning, coming back, questioning, refusing, then repeat. Every time he woke up from death he came back sputtering and hacking up his lungs. After the second time, she stopped leaving him to pass out after coming back. She stood over him, grabbing him and forcing him upright. Every time her face and voice was bright and kind. Every time it turned cold at his silence. Every time the figures returned to drag him back to a watery grave.

Each time was different, however. After the box, it was being held under, face first. After that, it was being pushed into a small tub where he hit his head on the side and was knocked out immediately. That was the quickest and was never repeated. The others, however, were repeated a number of times. He hated the box one and she knew that. He did that one many times and it still never failed to end with him knocking himself out to escape it. Soon she figured out he was cutting it short and made sure to cast some sort of Hold Person spell on him to lock him in place and leave him staring into the darkness, unable to move or fight as the water forced itself in and out of his lungs. 

She fed him a couple of times. Small things, enough to keep him alive. None of it tasted any good. He refused water. He didn't want it in his mouth, in his throat. But he needed it apparently, as if drowning over and over didn't hydrate you enough. That didn't stop him from refusing it. And that only made her force it down his throat, which made him cough and sputter a lot quicker than actually drowning. Maybe it was… because he was fighting it? He'd stopped fighting against the drowning a long time ago. He just kept trying to hurry the process along.

He was in the box again. This time it was more like a coffin, which forced him onto his back. As usual, he was blindfolded and put under the Hold Person spell, locking his muscles up and preventing movement. He choked and coughed as the water flowed into his lungs for maybe the hundredth time. He shut his eyes and waited for unconsciousness. Only it didn't come. But something else did. Something grabbed him and startled the shit out of him.

He choked and whatever had grasped him quickly pulled him up and out of the water. His next breath was air. And like all the other times, it was fucking hell.

Gurgling and hacking up the water, even dry heaving some more from how forceful his body was being, Vax felt the spell finally release and his hands went flying to try and steady himself.

"Vax!" A voice shouted, almost in his ear now that his process was clear enough to process his still black surroundings. "Holy shit, are you alright?" 

He knew that voice. He knew it and it freaked him the fuck out. He was only able to weakly gasp and cough up spit and water, but he wanted so badly to scream instead. 

"Vax…" the voice said again, hands gripping and pulling the blindfold. "Breathe, darling, breathe." 

He was right. Of course he was. He could never forget his sister's voice. And Vex'ahlia herself was sitting right in front of him, slightly roughed up like she'd been recently in a fight. He stared at her for a moment before reaching a numb, trembling hand and touching her cheek.

"Vex…" 

"Surprise? Sorry we took so long, dear, are you okay?" 

Vax's mind was spinning too much to think. He was dripping wet, he was chilled to the bone and he was supposed to be dead. He'd been inhaling water for gods know how long and yet Vex, his twinnie, his sweet Stubby, was sitting right in front of him. No. That wasn't right.

"Are you dead?" He rasped. 

Vex's eyebrows screwed together and she gave a very confused smile, followed by a tilt of her head as she grasped at his shaking hand. "I don't think so, no." 

Vax blinked, let out another cough, and slumped forward, plunging into darkness.


	8. Seeing Double - Mighty Nein

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Universe: The Mighty Nein was meant to have a relaxing day in Nicodranas. But Yasha has a small run in that proves, although she really needs to work on her willpower, she may not be as cursed as she fears she is.
> 
> _"She was told to follow them, and she did because this elf man seemed so friendly and it seemed so rude to deny him. When he told her to step in the back of this covered wagon, she did, because why wouldn't she? She loved traveling. When they told her not to fight when they put her in heavy chains, she didn't, because of course, they wouldn't be trying to hurt her. _
> 
> _It wasn't until they disappeared, and the cart started moving. It rode for a while before she realized... wait a second..."_

Yasha didn't quite know what to think about when these people approached her. She was odd-looking, she's known and accepted that a long time ago. She drew stares, glares, and whispers much too often. Though, being in a circus for several months has a way of numbing you to it. So when this pair of odd-looking folk approached him, an elven man and a human woman, she silently tried to guess whether this was a curious couple, an aggressive encounter, or perhaps people coming to seek her help. 

Turned out they needed help. They said the younger brother of the woman was trapped beneath a fallen log and they needed someone strong to lift it and free him. It was a particularly calm day and M9 were scattered to the winds in Nicodranas, seeing as they didn't have a deadline for the first time in forever. Yasha supposed she could help these folks out and meet everyone back at the Lavash Chateau by evening, so she agreed.

She was told to follow them, and she did because this elf man seemed so _friendly_ and it seemed so rude to deny him. When he told her to step in the back of this covered wagon, she did, because why wouldn't she? She loved traveling. When they told her not to fight when they put her in heavy chains, she didn't, because of course, they wouldn't be trying to hurt her. 

It wasn't until they disappeared, and the cart started moving. It rode for a while before she realized... _wait a second..._

Yasha was so... _Sick._ Of being mind-controlled. 

She struggled and she screamed, but no one seemed to notice. She swore colorfully, but her captors couldn't care less. When they stopped for meals, they tossed her rations and ignored her as she snarled and demanded to know where they were going. She ignored the rations. 

Finally, she forced herself to calm. She gritted her teeth and glowered as the woman tossed more forgotten rations at her feet. 

"You need to eat those," the woman grunted.

"Why should I?"

"Because Nonagon will be pissed if we bring you starved."

_Nonagon._

The name sent chills up her spine. The same name Cree had called Molly so long ago. How... No. No way, it can't be. Molly was dead and _certainly_ not Lucien, nor Nonagon, or whatever he called himself. The woman narrowed her eyes at Yasha when the Aasimar visibly tensed. 

"N-Nonagon..." Yasha forced out. "What does he want with me?"

"He asked for you," the woman shrugged and left to perch back with her partner at the reigns. 

Yasha shuddered but begrudgingly ate the rations.

•••

Using the meals, since they seemed to feed her whenever they ate, she determined that it took three days for them to get to their destination. When they did, they led her out by her chains, charming her again, dammit. It wasn't a town that they brought her to. It was... Some sort of camp. There were tents pitched and fires going that cooked meats and such. There were about ten people visible that were wandering around. 

They dragged her over to a bigger tent, where someone stepped out. A purple tiefling with black ropes, horns curled familiarly but bare of jewelry.

"_Mollymauk!_"

"Mollymauk" considered her for a moment, a blank look on his face. Tears were burning in her eyes, but she swallowed down the sobs that were rising in her throat. This being before her looked so different from her Molly. If he was going by Nonagon again... Maybe it wasn't.

"What's your name?" The tiefling asked, causing a painful pang in her chest. 

Taking a quivering breath, she said, "Y-Yasha... Molly, please..."

"Well done," the tiefling nodded to her captors, before looking and glaring at her chains. "Though I told you to bring her unharmed."

"She's not harmed, Nonagon," the elf hurriedly spoke up. "It was just... A precaution."

"Right. Let her out of those and you are dismissed. Follow me, Yasha Nydoorin."

Yasha was only so strong. She followed him as if he managed to cast a charm on her without her even noticing. Though, maybe that was just Molly. Or... Or her memory of Molly, at least. 

"Did they harm you?" He asked, turning to face her again. He didn't even have his accent. And something about his face just... Looked different. 

"No..."

"Good. He wouldn't have been happy if they did."

_He?_

Nonagon led her to the back of the tent, pulling up a hanging fabric and gesturing for her to wait. He ducked into it and there was muttering on the other side. Yasha frowned stepped closer, trying to hear what was being said. She was never the best of overhearing conversations, but some stroke of luck allowed her to hear this.

Nonagon was speaking oddly softly to someone. "Hadrien, I'm sorry to wake you..."

A slurred voice answered, making her heart clench as it was... Strangely familiar. "H... Hm? You know I hate that name."

"I've gotten something for you, brother."

_B... brother?_

"For me? How sweet."

"It's a friend."

"I'm sorry to say, but I don't really like any of your friends, Lucien."

"Not one of mine."

The curtain shifted and Lucien didn't seem very surprised by her closeness. "Come. Look."

Yasha stepped into this small room, though her eyes locked on one thing. This familiar, purple tiefling, though not the one standing beside her. Their face shifted to shock just as quickly as her own did. 

"Y-Yasha...?"

There he was. Mollymauk Tealeaf, sitting up in a cot, staring at her in just as much disbelief as she felt. Though she broke this time, no chains to hold her back, she dropped to her knees beside the bed and embraced him. Molly didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her too. She paid no mind to the other who backed out of the room and left them.

"I... My gods, are you alright?!" Molly pulled back first, though not without some resistance on Yasha's part. "Oh, my charm, I missed you so much- Why are you here?! Why are you with him, what's going on?!"

Yasha could see why Lucien's face looked different to her. He didn't have the colorful feathers that decorated the side of Molly's face. Of course. How didn't she notice that before?

"I... Hadrien?"

Molly grimaced. "My- My birth name, don't pay that any mind, I hate it."

"Brother?"

"I- uh," Molly scratched at his head. "Yeah. It's nice to know I was never Lucien. Turns out people getting twins mixed up is more common than you'd think." 

Yasha couldn't help it. She just started sobbing, burying her face into his chest. He stroked her hair, kissing the top of her head and chuckling wetly.

"I'm sorry, my dear, I'm so glad you're alright. How- How are the others? Jester, Fjord? Are they alright?"

Yasha just nodded, but she could feel the tension seep from his body as she clutched him.

"Good. That's good. Where... Where'd you find him? Lucien? He's not the type of person you'd meet on the streets."

"H-" she choked and pulled back, wiping her face. "H-He found me."

Molly's face darkened. "What?"

"I'm fine, they just-" Yasha scoffed and shook her head. "I'm not very good when it comes to mind... Magic. Magic that affects your mind."

"Yasha- I'm so sorry-"

"No. I'm glad. I'm so glad to see you."

Molly smiled a bit and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "I'm so glad to see you too. Still, the asshole, he fucking _kidnapped_ you?! I didn't tell him to do that, I hope you know. I didn't tell him anything _close_ to that!"

"What'd you tell him?"

"I just told him who you were! I missed you, I talked about you all the time! I talked about the others too, sure, I wonder why he didn't just snatch up all of you-"

"I guess he likes you."

"Hmph," Molly rolled his eyes, which was hard to tell but Yasha could. She always could. "Sure. I guess."

"You're his brother."

"I _guess._"

"Do you remember him?"

".... I do."

Yasha blinked. "How?"

"Greater Restoration," he tapped his temple. 

"Did... Did they revive you or did-?"

"No, I woke up on my own. I'm like a cat now, I suppose, I have six of these left." 

Yasha grimaced at the thought of Molly dying and waking up in a grave six more times. Molly booped her on the nose. "Don't make that face, I'm only kidding."

"I didn't think it was funny."

"You always find me funny."

After a warm pause, Yasha softly asked, "Why... Uhm... Do you want to be Molly? Or Hadrien?"

"Molly. Molly, definitely."

"Why?"

"Because Molly had you," he shrugged. "And Molly didn't take turns playing Cult Leader with his crazy twin brother."

"Is that what happened?"

"Yeah. We were identical and no one of the Tomb Takers really knew there were two of us. We used that to our advantage, made Lucien seem more powerful by making it seem like he could be in two places at once. When we weren't doing that, one of us had to stay hidden to keep the illusion. It was usually Hadrien that was locked up. We- They used Lucien's name because he was the oldest," Molly rolled his eyes at that, then sobered. "It was his turn that day- Hadrien. Lucien wanted it to be his, but Hadrien was too eager and wanted to be the one. Neither of them... Expected things to go wrong like that."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not." 

Yasha pulled back to look over him. Her hold has never strayed further away than his hands, which she was holding onto for dear life at this point. She frowned and touched his cheek, meeting his eyes.

"Are you alright? You feel feverish."

"Oh, that's a tiefling thing-"

"No. It's not. Not like this."

Molly smiled. "That's... Fair. It's just a cold, I'm fine, I assure you." 

Yasha believed him. 

They talked a bit more. Yasha told him a bit about how the Nein were and what they've been doing (minus everything about Obann, she didn't want to ruin this bliss with bad memories).

Yasha can tell whatever this "cold" is, it's starting to wear him down. Instead of the upright position he was in, he spread back, staring up at her and stating he was simply "getting comfortable for the story". His reaction and responses grew slower and soon his eyes shut, only a few hums of confirmation when she asks if he's awake. She soon said, "You can go to sleep if you'd like." He said, "No" only to fall asleep five minutes later.

Yasha fell quiet once she made sure he was truly asleep, before falling silent and cradling his hand in both of hers. 

"Hm."

She jumps. Lucien is next to her all of a sudden. She turns to stare at him before a moment before she speaks.

"Thank you..."

"This is the fastest he's gone to sleep after waking up," He says, almost lost in thought. "He usually stays up until he passes out again."

That's... Concerning.

"What's wrong with him?"

Lucien eyed Molly.

"He's asleep," Yasha told him.

"He's very good at hiding it."

"Yes, but I shared a tent with him for six months straight, at the least."

Lucien huffed out a laugh. "Yeah. That's true, I suppose. Did you watch him sleep often?" 

She did. Because the first few nights she spent with him, she listened to him mutter and whimper in his sleep. It wasn't until the fifth night that her heart couldn't take it anymore- Zuala had always said she was too soft - and she laid down beside his bedroll. Wrapping an arm around his trembling form, she pulled him to her and sang. It was a soft tune in Celestial, something about a song one sings when thinking of someone who's long gone, and promising they'll see each other again through dreams. Molly calmed quickly, melting against her, but Yasha didn't stop until the song ended and she dozed off herself. 

Molly was obviously a bit surprised by the closeness the next morning, though he played it off with a joke. Yasha had flushed and murmured something about him talking in his sleep and she'd wanted to make sure he was alright. This soft look fell over his face and he nodded, and they never spoke of it again. Yasha's pretty sure he doesn't even remember the song.

"Doesn't matter," she said instead of admitting any of that. It was a precious memory of hers, one she kept tucked in her heart along with memories of Zuala. "What's wrong with him?"

"He... We found him wandering around, without memory of really anything-"

"How long ago?"

Lucien's head tilted slightly in thought. Yasha blinked, slightly stricken by how subtly similar the two were outside of their looks. 

"About a year now."

A year... Molly has been back for a year and they had no idea

"He's sick."

"Yes," Lucien nodded solemnly. 

"Was he sick when you found him?" 

"He was."

"Greater Restoration didn't help?"

"It did not." 

That was surprising to hear. "What do you think it is?" 

"A powerful curse of some sort," Lucien said, which made Yasha tense.

"You're not serious."

"I am."

"How do you know?" 

"Why else won't anything cure it?"

"Why is he cursed?!"

Yasha cringed when Molly grunted in his sleep, lowering her voice as she repeated herself. "Why is he cursed?"

Lucien let out a sigh. "He looks very much like me. Even Cree mistook him for me."

"So..." Yasha's gaze hardened. "He was cursed by someone who thought he was you."

"Unfortunately."

"Will..." Yasha turned to her friend again. "Will... Is it bad? Will it kill him?"

"I... Don't think so," Lucien sounds so unsure that Yasha tightens her grip on Molly's hand. "It weakens him. It comes in waves; some days are better than others. But he was able to walk when he found him."

"He can't walk?!"

"He can, but it's like watching a newborn fawn. And it irritates him beyond belief."

"It's worse some days more than others. This was the most alert I've seen him in a few days now. He's been drowsy as of late, staying asleep for longer whenever he does sleep." 

Yasha lets her thumb brush over the red-eye on the back of his hand. "So he's been getting worse."

"Not quickly. The weakness in the legs started within the last couple of weeks. It just started with dizzy spells, in the very beginning. It would make him nauseous, sometimes he wouldn't be able to stay standing. It got worse as time went on. His appetite lessened, he became unable to hold down certain foods, he couldn't travel for long without tiring..." 

Yasha felt sick herself. She brought Molly's hand to her lips. "Is there no way to fix it?"

"We've tried everything in our power. Nothing has worked."

It was around that time that a voice called for Lucien. He nodded to Yasha before slipping out. He came back a moment later. "It seems your friends have arrived."


End file.
